This site was last updated on March 30, 2015
A division of
First Choice International Inc.
High Resolution Image of repaired Württemberg Stamp
Due to the many emails we receive with questions relating to our service we have attempted to save you and us some time by creating a FAQ "Frequently Asked Question" page. Please just follow this link to the FAQs as we are certain that this will go a long way in providing you with answers. If you have questions or concerns that are not adequately addressed, please feel free to contact us at: FCIstamps@gto.net
If you would like to have help with calculating any repair costs and you have
access to Microsoft Excel, we can email you our Excel template. All you would
need to do is fill in the information and it will calculate the estimated
repair cost for you.
Thanks
Hans and Anne Marie
We are
a small Canadian company dedicated to the preservation of postage stamps,
covers and other paper collectibles. We have been in business since 1985 and
have developed a global customer base. The company was founded by Hans Sitt Sr.
who in his time was an avid stamp collector. The company was originally known
as L. Armstrong Stamp Restoration Service, named after his former
daughter-in-law. He, as is the case with many collectors, could not always
afford to stock his albums with premium quality stamps. Yet, he still liked to
add copies of these somewhat more rare varieties, even if somewhat flawed.
At that time it did not seem possible to find anyone to repair and restore
these items at a reasonable cost. Over time, much research was done in order to
learn how to restore and preserve articles of paper. Since then, our
ever-growing experience has allowed us to supplement our techniques with new
and improved methods and procedures. We can offer affordable quality
restoration and repair work, which will help to ensure the integrity of your
collection for years to come.
We
operate this business on a part time basis with Anne Marie now virtually exclusively performing the restoration work. Due to my full-time position as maintenance manager at
a multi-national food processing company, I find I have limited time to work on
items myself but will lend a hand if and when required. Therefore, it may take
from several days to a few weeks for us to return an order. If work is time
sensitive it will be best for you to email us so that we can estimate a
completion time.
We
repair/restore postage stamps, covers and other paper collectibles in order to
maintain them in the best possible condition for the enjoyment of philatelists
and other collectors throughout the world. We offer a wide range of services.
Much of our work relates to repairs of items with flawed or missing gum,
repairing thins, torn papers, missing corners or perforations and reperforating.
We also clean soiled stamps and covers and can remove or improve many types of
stains. If necessary, we can rejoin separated perforations and repair creases,
often by keeping the original gum in tact. The work is not exclusive to stamps
and covers but also includes any collectible papers.
As with any repair work, there are limitations to what can be done.
Unfortunately for some items, it is not possible to achieve a marked
improvement on their condition. Unless you give us specific instructions, which
would allow us to perform whatever work we deem necessary, we would return such
items as received. If in doubt, we are more than happy to have you mail us any
items for evaluation and we will promptly get back to you with a quotation
regarding the feasibility of repairs and associated costs.
Please feel free to take a look at our Price/Services list for more detail. No
matter where you are located, we would like to be able to add you to our
growing list of satisfied customers.
Some
stamps in Canada and the United States for example are now over a century and a half old. Due to their age, being handled by people and often less
than favourable storage conditions, many stamps have begun to show signs of
deterioration.
Really, there is little difference between repairing postage stamps, works of
art or for that matter any other collectibles. If it were not for the fact that
many of these items were properly cared for and from time to time repaired or
restored as needed, many such items would now no longer be around for us to
enjoy. Surely, it would be a great loss to all if collectibles were discarded
only because they were damaged or of otherwise lesser quality. With every item,
which meets this fate another piece of history is lost.
If we want to keep our hobby and in many cases our investment alive, then it is
necessary to stop or at least retard this aging process so that future
generations may also enjoy these collectibles.
We intend to restore and repair postage
stamps, philatelic items and paper collectibles at reasonable prices employing
the highest quality workmanship.
(We strongly advise and encourage
philatelists to fully disclose any restorations or repairs of which they are
aware upon disposition of these items.)
We charge
no more than 20% of the value based on recent Scott catalogs. (Due to their cost, we replace them only every few years and currently we use a set of 2011 catalogues). The basis for our charges are either the mint or used catalog (Scott) price of the stamp,
as the case may be. For repair
cost evaluation purposes we do not discount the catalog value due to a stamps
physical condition.
We charge this amount UP TO our Regular Price (i.e. for Regumming this would be
$7.50 USD). For a complete schedule of pricing please consult our price lists
which can be accessed directly from the bottom of this web site.
For stamps valued above $100.00 USD we bill an additional 3% of the catalog list price. By doing this, we can afford to spend the additional time
on an item in order to give it the attention it deserves. I suppose, one always
could second-guess the work done and under large magnification come to the
conclusion that something could have been done better. But, as with anything
else, this comes down to a matter of economics. For example, it is not possible
for us to spend 4 hours repairing a thin and regumming a $20.00 stamp for a
price of $7.50. Hence our surcharge of 3% for stamps listed at over $100.00
USD.
Conversely, it would still be economical for a collector to have a stamp
repaired which is only valued at $5.00. The repair, regumming etc. would cost
only $1.00 USD. Although our charges are cumulative, the total repair cost per item will never
exceed 20% of the stamps, (mint or used), listed catalog value.
An example would be as follows:
To fill a thin (regular price $18.00 USD) and to regum ($7.50 USD) a stamp with
a catalog list price of $10.00 USD would cost the lesser of 20% of the value or
the Regular Repair Price. In this example the Regular Repair Price adds up to
$25.50 USD. However, due to the stamps low catalogue value, the charge will only
be 20% of $10.00 USD, which is $2.00 USD.
The cost to fill a thin and to regum a stamp with a catalog list price of
$600.00 USD would be the lesser of 20% of the catalog list price or the Regular
Repair Price plus 3% of the of the catalog price of the stamp. In this case,
the cost would be $18.00 + $7.50 + $18.00 (3% of $600.00) for a total of $43.50
USD. This works out to only a total cost of 7.25% of the value of the stamps
catalog list price.
For pricing of repairs to covers or other paper collectibles please email us a
description of the item, it's estimated value and the repairs desired. If
possible, please attach a jpg scan of the front and back of the item at 100 to
300 dpi. This will help us greatly in determining the cost of the repair.
Depending on the work required, the minimum charge for repairs of this nature
would probably start at $50US.
When items are shipped to us, it is our policy to return these items the same way as received. If stamps arrive by First Class
Mail we will return them by First Class Mail, if the shipment was registered,
it is returned registered - unless specified otherwise by the customer. By
sending us stamps by First Class Mail and us returning it the same way when no
request is made by yourself to return the items via registered mail you
understand and agree that we cannot be responsible for any stamps being lost in
the mail.
For this type of work, the quality of workmanship is at best
highly subjective in nature. Often some flaws in stamps sent to us for
restoration, due to previous repairs by others, become apparent only after the
work has commenced. As we strongly believe in satisfying our customers, we
fully warrant OUR work. At our discretion, we will either rework any stamp(s),
which were not restored by us to your satisfaction or any money paid by you for such
repairs/restorations will be unconditionally refunded. It is understood by both parties that
any money refunded only applies to the repair cost charged by First Choice International
Inc. (FCI Stamp Restoration Service). Although we take all reasonable care to
protect any items entrusted us for restoration or repair, YOU, the owner or its
authorized agent, is solely responsible for any loss or damage to your items
while in our custody, however caused.
We use
similar techniques to repair rips and tears, thins in paper as would be applied
by conservators treating any paper of value. Much care is taken to repair
physical flaws to the paper or to replace gum, which might be damaged or
missing completely. Most of this is very delicate and time consuming work and
it is not uncommon to have to repeat procedures in order to affect the proper
repair. Usually, other than taking additional time, this doesn't present us
with problems as most of our processes are reversible.
Just
for example, as part of our tool inventory, we have a set of custom designed
and manufactured perforation dies consisting of 44 dies of varying spacing and
an accompanying set of 22 hole punches. The perforation dies are manufactured
in varying sizes starting with dies for a perforation of '7' (spacing of 0.1125
inches or 2.856mm) up to a perforation '16' (spacing of 0.0492 inches or
1.250mm). Our set of dies includes all dies as referred to by the Kiusalas USA
and Canada Specialist Gauges. Sizes for our punches start at .023 inches
(.711mm) in diameter up to .046 inches (1.168mm) in diameter in .001 inch
(.025mm) increments.
We
manufacture our own papers and water soluble adhesives. Our gum has special
additives to obtain various degrees of flexibility, colour and sheen. We also
modify our gum Arabic to ensure that it lays flat when applied.
Along
with the above, we do have other specialty tools so that we are able to provide
you with some of the best restoration work available today.
This is
a topic, which often comes up in conversation with collectors and dealers and
it is one that we also have strong feelings about, although it may be easy to
guess which side of the discussion we lean towards. Due to a difference in our
views, we are no longer members of the APS. The reason being, that the APS
insists that repaired, restored or altered stamps are to be identified with
indelible ink. We, however, are of the opinion that we spend a great deal of
time and effort to restore a stamp's appearances and are not prepared to deface
these items with indelible ink unless the customer, (whose property these
stamps are), so wishes. It was for this reason that we were 'expelled'.
We are
of the opinion that there are no repairs or alterations that we or anyone else
could make, which would not be detectible with present day technology; in most
cases without resorting to the hi-tech light, (crime), spectrometer as was
purchased by the APS. Often, rather simple methods can be used to determine
whether or not a stamp was restored or altered. Commonplace scanners that are found in virtually every home can
go a long way in exposing the repairs. We therefore believe that indelibly
marking a stamp is redundant. Besides, when using the proper tools, it is not
that difficult to remove an indelible mark should someone want to do so.
Seemingly,
some people at the top of this organization have to rely on what we believe are
slanderous remarks as a means of attacking our service and credibility. I
especially resent the implications that our intent, (and that of our
customers), is to defraud other collectors. We strongly believe that OUR
CUSTOMERS ARE HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY people. In the 30+ years in this business
we have had no reason to believe otherwise. We encourage all philatelists and
other collectors, whether or not they are our customers, to do what is legally
and morally correct when they deal with restored, repaired or altered stamps
and covers.
Although
our main interest is the restoration of stamps, covers and other paper
collectibles and return them to our customers as quickly as possible, we do
spend a considerable amount of time making photocopies and scanning images of
all items sent to us for repair, before and after the work is done. We do this
for both our own and our customers records. We will return your shipment with a
black and white photocopy of the items identifying the work done, which is
included in the price. If required by the customer we can issue a near photographic
quality colour Restoration Certificate at an additional fee of $10.00 US per
page. (Depending on image sizes we can fit up to 8 items onto one 8.5" x
11" sheet). Please specify your requirements at the time of the order.
It
must be understood, that the photo copies or certificates only verify the work
performed by FCI Stamp Restoration Service, (Division of First Choice
International Inc.). They are not intended to verify the authenticity of stamps
or covers, or the restoration, repairs or alterations performed by others.
Back in 1997 during the World stamp Expo in San Francisco, I was told at a meeting with the board of the APS that our certificates are 'worthless'. I suppose they have a valid point since it seems that someone in an office hundreds or even thousands of miles away should be better qualified to tell you what we did than us, who did the actual work. If
you need an expertizing service, I am certain, that for a fee, the nice people
at the APS or other accredited agencies, companies or individuals will be more
than happy to assist you.
High Resolution Image of COLOUR Certificate of
Restoration High Resolution Image of B&W
Certificate of Restoration
There
are a number of good resource books available on the subject of detecting
restored, repaired, altered stamps as well as fakes and forgeries. Most of this
material is available from the American Philatelic Society and some through
your local stamp dealer(s) and now, probably on the internet.
This is a very comprehensive subject on which volumes have been written. It
takes a lot of effort to address this topic in the depth that it deserves which
I believe has already been successfully done by a number of authors.
Some of the resources available are:
1.
Scott -
Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue
2.
Linn's
World Stamp Almanac
3.
'How to
Detect Altered and Repaired Stamps' by Paul W. Schmid
4.
'Out-Foxing
the Fakers' by Jean-Francois Brun
5.
'Fundamentals
of Philately' by L.N. Williams
... and many others ... The
following lists provide our customers with information on services available
and costs involved. Please feel free to print a copy of any of the
following price/services lists. Please note: Services other than those
listed may be available upon request - pricing would vary accordingly. We welcome any
reader comments or questions regarding our service. Please call or email us at:
There is also a somewhat recent entry in the information category which tries to explain
how to do this work. The soft-cover manual published by Midvale Philatelic
Gallery is called 'How to Regum Stamps'. The book addresses a number of valid
issues but in my humble opinion many of the suggested methods of repairing and
regumming stamps are seriously flawed and may do more harm than good.
Perhaps one day I will add my own 2 cents worth on this subject.
Where
are we located?
First Choice International Inc.
FCI Stamp Restoration Service
or
57 DAUGAARD AVE.
PARIS, ON N3L 4B9
CANADA
Tel: (226) 401-2501 (Business/Home - Voice Mail)
Cell: (705) 989-7224 (Anne Marie)
Cell: (519) 501-5757 (Hans)
E-mail: FCIstamps@gto.net
Prices/Services
lists
IT COSTS NOTHING TO BROWSE! The only difference between the
following lists is that the pricing is adjusted to reflect different
currencies.
Canadian
Visitors and Customers
U.S.
Visitors and Customers
International Visitors and Customers
Contact Us:
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